Method of manufacturing car wheels



' Nov. 12, 1929.

METHOD OF MANUFACTURING CAR WHEELS FiledMay 17. 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 c. i=2. DA'Y 1,735,423

I: and in forging dies therefor.

' j 25 in which:

Patented Nov. 12, 1929 CHARLES R. DAY, OF SEWICKLEY, PENNSYLVANIA METHOD or MANUFACTURING GAR WHEELS Application filed May 17,

My invention relates to the manufacture of forged metal car wheels and the like, and consists in an improved method of forming a finished wheel from a'forged or other blank, Heretofore such wheels have been made by pressing a blank to finished form having a hub portion, a tread portion, and an intervening web portion, either straight or dished, and then m'punching out portions of'the web leaving radial spokes of the original thickness hav- 7 ing shear-finished edge walls, as in prior patent of Hansen No. 1,007 ,9t7 Such wheels are inherently weak and inv efiicient in that the cross sections of the spokes are of uniform thickness having squared unfinished or merely shear-finished edges. My invention provides reinforced spokes, oval in cross section, rounded at their opposite edges in either direction of rotation, and

merging by rounded or 'filleted faces into the hub and rim' portions respectively.

One preferred embodiment of the inven tion'is shown in the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a face view of the finished wheel in elevation; I Fig. 2 is a cross section of the wheel on the deflected line II--II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross section of the spoke on the line III-III of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a similar View on the line IV-IV of Fig;1; r Fig. '5 is a cross-sectional vlew'of a wheel sa blank having a continuous integral web:

Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing the blank intermediate the upper and lower primary pressing and forming dies, separated and prior to action thereby;

Fig- 7 is a'similar view show ng the blank informed shape between the dies as closed;

Fig. 8 is an enlargedcross sectional view through that portion of the wheel blank indicated .by the line VIIIVIII-of Fig. 1 prior ,to closing action of the pressing and forming dies, the dies being open as in Fig. 2;

Fig.- '9 is a similar section showing the dies closed; i -FigI'1O is a sectional view of the secondary or finishing dies closed, with; the blank 1928. Serial No. 278,580.

disldied and the surplus waste material severe Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 9 showing the final bending and blank'detaching dies,

' closed on the blank, on the line VIIIVIII of Fig. 1. I

The finished forged and dished wheel of Figs. 1 and 2 is made from the blank of Fig.

5 having a middle solid hub 2, an outer a11- nular tread 3 and an intervening comparatively thin web 4. v

The blank as thus provided is substantially flat, in which form it is first subjected to a primary die pressing and forging operatfon for initial shaping ofth'e spokes 4; and the hub, with accompanying gathering and distribution of the metal and partial formation of the axlehole 5. f

It is designed that the blank, under action of the preliminary and final forming and finishing dies, shall be'compressed to approximately-shape the spokes 4 in cross section; shall finish the hub by slightly increasing its thickness, with a partial axle opening at each side; and shall deflect or dish the middle portion of the wheel including the hub and the spokes, laterally with relation to the rim portion.

For such purpose the blank is subjected to the action of preliminary lower and upper so dies 6 and 7 respectively, one acting against the other under the power of a suitbale press of well known construction, and not necessarily herein described. The lower or anvil die 6 is provided with a hub cavity 8, a central upstanding hole-forming center extension 9, upwardly extending portions 10 providing concaved Spoke cavities 11, and an outer rim-forming annular cavity 12.

The upper or reciprocable die 7 is similarly provided with a middle annular hub-forming cavity 8*, a central axle-hole forming projection 9*, downwardly extending spokeforming extensions l0 having oonoaved spoke cavities 11 and anouter annular rimforming cavity 12*, with a supplemental surrounding outer portion 13 for co-operation with the lower die in forming the tread end flange, as will be readily understood.

' Under action of dies 6 and-7, the blank pendent on the size and weight of the wheel body.

In the pressing operation the metal of the hub, and to some extent of the spokes, is extruded or gathered, resulting in a slight thickening of the hub due to the flowing ot' the :rnetal from the "central partial axle openings formed therein, together with an accompanying condensation of the metal.

{Dies ,6 and 7 respectively are also shaped to ei'leotaat thesa-me time, an approximate formation of the spokes in cross section, and with incomplete severance of the metal between them. 7 V

For such purpose the dies 6 and 7 are provided withthe spoke cavities 11 and 11 respectively, of approximately half oval iorm ;i;n:onoss section, diminishing in area outwardly toward the rim to provide the I desired taper to lthe'spokesi Between the spoke-formingcavities 11 and 1 1*, each die is pnoviided with intervening GIGZEI'QJIICQ'QPBIH'IXHfl'S l8ancl :18 respectively, for clearance of such intervening surplus matenial, @which is eventually eliminated z'r'rom the blanks by the final dis hingor vbending "openation hereinafter described.

The-inner concave faces of spokecavities 11 and 11 and the inner opposite walls of ice cavities :18 and 18 converge toward a common ipartiall severingli-ne, prov-idingthe blunt edges 159 and 19%, whereby when the dies are brought together thespokes are not only approximately formed, but {the :sunplus :lllettl sections 20 are-squeezed or ,pinche'd away from the spoke sections a, but not entirely separated. The blunt edges 19 antl-19 preach each other :to -within a sight 1 Mtance, one-eighth of an inch, leaving 'therlthin intervening webs .21, as in Fig. :9. In such pressing operation the middle portions of the spokes .and oil the surplus sections 20 'will "he gathered or rein- .tt'ornec thickening them at their c-niclclle portion .as shown, clue to absorption of the sur- '13 us metal clisplaceelsloy -.tl1e separating "wedge sportions '25 :and between the several cavities.

inclined arrangement of the spokes, in the general form shown in Figs. 2 and 10. All of the main working portions of (lies 22 and 23 are substantially the same as already described as to dies 6 and 7 but the intervening separating ridges 25 and 25? are in the form of blunt knife ecl-ges. These ec es completely surround the triangular wasteportions and are brought together in shearing action, so as to completely sever the waste sections '20 from the spokes,"huband rim, at the same time that .the complete blank is clishedand finally finished as in Fig. 11.

During each operation the waste sections 20 are also partially and 'then completely scanned from the hub anelrimrespectiy'ely by the outer annular forging and shearing "faces 2'5 and inner forging and shearing laces 25 of Eboth the lower and upper dies. in warclly projecting tacos iga'theriand assist in thefi-nalsevenanoe'of the waste seotionsin the same manner as do the portions 25 and I 25",.

The resulting efieot of such .fmaloperation is to dish or-bend the wheel section and at the is-ame'ti-me remove the several surplus waste sections, and also'to'efiectual-ly ,finislh the etl ge :portions of the spokesandl also the portions :of the rim and the outer p'ort-ionsso'f the :hub by :the rounded and fiil leted :fiormations ;-ancl surfaces, (leaving the wheel :cornpletetinishecl lcond'ition, except as to the vfilnal axle ,hole. "The intervening middle web portion 24tofthe blank is removed by punching or boring, gether with any necessary grinding vor finish- ;ingoperaftions forrthe rim and flange or faces of the hubs, all of which operationshowerver are supplemental to the llltL-ll'l gfiorg'i-nggsteps rand Ffina-l shearing of the process.

WVhaltIrclaima's-s- 1. In the manufacture of car wheels from a bla-nk :a hub, =-web and rim, the method consisting in pressingtlre aveb between (dies to tonm the spokes WItll yQiGCOlTl p anying separation and removal {of *interuening metal; t c I 2. In the manult'acture'loi earwheel's from a blankhzwli ng a :hub,-fweb sand-rim, the method consisting in pressing and severing the web between dies to removeisurplusmaterial between spoke sections with thickeni ing thereof. i y

3. In the manufacture o'fca-r wheels from a blank having a llul), web and rim, "the method consisting in pressing and severing the web between dies toremove surplus material lbetween tsp o'ke, sections with thiclkening thereof and simultaneous deflection Of rthe hub-and spoke sections beyonclfthe;

V 4. In the manufacture of car when from ;-a blank having a 11st, web and rim, the method consisting in pressing and severing the web between dies to remove isurgilus :ma- ,terial between s pcokersections and between the hub and rim respectimely withgsimultaneous.

thickening and rounding of the spoke sections.

5. In the manufacture of car wheels from a blank having a hub, web and rim, the method consisting in pressing and severing the web between dies to remove surplus material between spoke sections with thickening thereof and simultaneous deflection of the hub and spoke sections beyond the rim and partial formation of axle openings in the hub.

In the manufacture of car wheels from a blank having a hub, Web and rim, the method consisting in first compressing the blank between dies to aproximately form radial spoke sections by partial severance of intervening metal therefrom and from the hub and rim, and then compressing the blank between dies to effect final severanceof waste material with finishing formation of the spokes.

7. In'the manufacture of car wheels from a blank having a hub, web and rim, the method consisting in first compressing the blank between dies to approximately form radial spoke sections by partial severance of intervening metal therefrom and from the hub and rim, and then compressing the blank between dies to effect deflection of the hub and spoke sections beyond the rim,

8. In the manufacture of car wheels from a blank having a hub, web and rim, the method consisting in first compressing the blank between dies to aproximately form radial spoke sect-ions by partial severance of intervening metal therefrom and from the hub and rim, and then compressing the blank between dies'to effect deflection of the hub and spoke sections beyond the rim with final severance of waste material from between the spokes. 1

In testimony whereof I hereunto afliX my signature.

, CHARLES R. DAY. 

